Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Music

1950s: Social Poetry

Poets felt the need to provide critical testimony of the reality and adopt an attitude of commitment to the situation that existed in Spain. Cantos Iberians by Gabriel Celaya and I Ask for Peace and the Word by Blas de Otero, published in 1955, stand out.

As for the themes, we must highlight the issue of Spain, social injustice, and alienation. The language is clear, and the tone is colloquial.

1960s: Poetry of Knowledge

By the end of the 1950s, a group of poets emerged seeking further elaboration of poetic language and a shift from the collective to the personal. They defended the idea of the poem as an act of knowledge.

• Barcelona Group: Jose Agustin Goytisolo, Jaime Gil de Viedma, among others.
• Madrid Group: Claudio Rodriguez,

Jacinto Benavente: A New Voice in Spanish Theater

The emergence of Jacinto Benavente marked a significant shift in Spanish theater. His early works, characterized by naturalistic arguments and a critical tone towards Spanish society, stood in stark contrast to the passionate and rhetorically charged theater of his contemporaries, like Echegaray. Benavente soon adapted his style to appeal to the tastes of the bourgeois audience, who were often the protagonists of his plays. He employed a superficially satirical approach that avoided offending sensibilities, utilizing swift, effective language and well-crafted characters.

Key Thematic Guidelines

• Upper Middle-Class Dramas: These plays focus on the urban upper classes, exploring themes of social convention,

Characteristics of Neoclassicism (18th Century)

The Neoclassical period comprises the second half of the 18th century. Key characteristics include:

• Objective composition.
• Focus on the ideal of Beauty.
• Bright melodic lines and phrases that are cheerful, square, and regular.
• Prevalence of instrumental music, particularly the sonata form.
• The birth of the democratization of music.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart is considered a child prodigy of music. The last stage of his life was difficult due to financial problems and illness. He was largely self-taught and served the Bishop of Salzburg and the Emperor of Austria.

Key Characteristics and Works

His works highlight spontaneity and tenderness. Major compositions include:

• Instrumental Music: Over 50 symphonies,

Famous Opera Arias

La Traviata, G. Verdi

Aria: Features tenor, soprano, and choir. This romantic opera tells the tragic story of Violetta Valery, who sacrifices her love to save a family's reputation. The opera begins with a celebration where Violetta meets Alfredo, a fan who admires her beauty and love.

The Barber of Seville, G. Rossini

Aria: Largo al factotum. Features baritone Figaro. The barber dedicates his time not only to haircuts but also acts as a messenger and matchmaker, helping with love intrigues.

L'amico Fritz, Mascagni

Aria: Duo cerises. Features tenor and soprano. A wealthy landowner, after declaring himself a bachelor, accepts a bet that he will marry within a year. He realizes he has feelings for Suzel when she brings him flowers,... Continue reading "Famous Opera Arias: Verdi, Rossini, Mozart & More" »

Baroque Instrumental Forms and Structures

A) Comparing the Suite and the Sonata Concerto

Both the Suite and the Sonata Concerto are Baroque instrumental forms and usually feature a basso continuo.

B) Instrumental Combinations for Baroque Sonatas

Sonatas were composed for various instrumental combinations, including:

• Solo Sonatas: For a single instrument (e.g., keyboard, harpsichord, violin, cello).
• Duet Sonatas: For one soloist with basso continuo.
• Trio Sonatas: For two soloists with basso continuo.

C) Types of Baroque Sonatas

Based on structure, two main types of sonata were developed in the Baroque era:

Sonata da camera (Chamber Sonata)

Composed of dance-rate movements. This form derived into the Suite.

Sonata da chiesa (Church Sonata)

Typically featured

Audiovisual Elements

Elements of audiovisual media combine sound and image, playing a very important role with their particular ideology.

Features of Audiovisual Media

• Convey information, opinions, etc.
• Users (viewers, listeners, and readers) have possibilities to interact.

Main Audiovisual Media

• Press
• Radio
• Television
• Film
• Thematic Xanxo (Note: 'Xanxo' is unclear in context)

Characteristics of Media Types

• Radio: Uses sound, very accessible.
• TV: Majority medium, image combined with sound.
• Film: Art and entertainment, disseminated in projection rooms and DVD.
• Internet: A global medium, offers everything.

Spelling Notes

Specific rules for open vowels and diphthongs (likely related to a specific language, e.g., Catalan):

Open Vowel 'e' Rules

Majority of esdrúixoles... Continue reading "Key Concepts in Media, Language, and Literature" »

Medieval Sacred Drama

Medieval sacred drama in Europe originated within a religious context, specifically in the rites of Christian worship, especially around the celebration of festivals like the birth and resurrection of Christ.

Christian Iconography

Christ Pantocrator

Christ Pantocrator is the representation of Christ as Lord of the Universe, typically depicted blessing with his right hand (symbolizing divine justice) and holding the Gospels or the Bible in his left. These representations were displayed both outside and inside the church.

The Tetramorph

The Tetramorph refers to the symbolic animals that represent the Gospels.

Gregorian Chant

Key Characteristics of Gregorian Chant

• It is monophonic singing, i.e., one voice or melody.
• It is without strict

Baroque and Arcadianism: Artistic and Literary Movements

The Baroque Style: Drama, Exuberance, and Realism

The Baroque was an influential artistic style that flourished across Europe, the Americas, and parts of the East from the early 17th century to the mid-18th century. It can be seen as a natural continuation of the Renaissance, as both movements shared a deep interest in classical art. However, they interpreted and expressed this interest in distinct ways.

While the Renaissance emphasized moderation, formal economy, austerity, balance, and harmony, the Baroque approached similar themes with greater dynamism, higher contrast, more drama, exuberance, and a tendency toward realism and decorative embellishment. It also expressed a tension between... Continue reading "Baroque and Arcadianism: Literary Styles and Influential Figures" »

Organum

Organum, a foundational form of early Western polyphony, reached its height in the Notre Dame School of Paris, the heart of the Ars Antiqua (primarily between the 11th and 12th centuries). It involves parallel repetition of a melody, typically at a perfect fifth interval. This sacred vocal music genre enhanced musical passages by adding a second voice.

Organum Types

• Parallel Organum: An added voice (vox organalis) doubles the plainchant at a parallel fifth below. Fifths were considered perfect and beautiful, and each voice could be inflected to an octave.
• Free Organum: Showcased greater melodic independence, giving rise to the term contrapunctum.
• Discantus (11th Century): The vox organalis and main voice move in contrary motion.
• Florid/Melismatic

Nineteenth-Century Theater

The influence of Romanticism during the Renaixença (Catalan Revival) broke with the conventions of Neoclassical theater, which had established stringent regulations, rejecting any deviation from accepted models. Authors sought freedom, expressed in the following features:

• Disappearance of boundaries between dramatic genres.
• Mixing of prose and verse.
• Rejection of the classical three unities (place, time, action).
• Wider range of situations and characters.

Romantic Drama Characteristics

• Love: This is the most important theme. It's presented as an absolute passion that obeys no laws and stops at nothing. It's a love aspiring to an impossible perfect realization, leading inevitably to a tragic end.
• The Hero: The main character